Cessna 172M accident near San Diego, California, June 24, 2008
On June 24, 2008 at about 5:33 pm local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N9629V, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near San Diego, California (Montgomery Field Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot's failure to maintain directional control during a touch-and-go landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 24, 2008 · about 5:33 pm local time
- Place
- San Diego, California · Montgomery Field Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N9629V · no longer on the register · serial 17264409
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot reported that he was practicing touch-and-go landings and made a normal landing on runway 28L. Witnesses located adjacent to the runway observed the landing, and stated that the airplane landed hard on the right main landing gear. During the landing roll, the pilot raised the flaps, turned the carburetor heat off, and started to increase engine power when the airplane then began to veer to the left. He then applied full engine power in an attempt to get the airplane airborne. The airplane became airborne and the left main landing gear struck a taxiway sign. The pilot then elected to abort the takeoff and he reduced engine power, switched off the master switch and turned off the magnetos. The airplane continued into the adjacent ramp area and struck a parked and unoccupied helicopter.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during takeoff (rejected takeoff)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Runway/taxi/approach light › Not specified
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Aircraft › Not specified
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 105 hours in all; 105 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 18 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,254 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 1, 2008; 64 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MYF San Diego CA
- Destination: San Diego CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 28L, 3,401 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.94 inHg
- Observation at 5:39 pm from MYF
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.